The Battle for Pope's Tavern - Part I

 

This is the first of several articles on Pope's Tavern Museum, a facility now owned and run by the City of Florence. In this series, we will not so much comment on the history of this one-time coaching inn, but on how this early 19th Century pile has become the subject of woke sociology and the center piece of a plan to cement a one-trick pony career.

Wayne Higgins was for many years a teacher in the Florence City School system. By the end of 2018, Higgins was the curator of Pope's Tavern. He's pictured below left in a photo with former Mayor Steve Holt:

Higgins was almost universally liked. If anyone had any criticism, it was that he was unable to extract more money for museum upkeep and expansion from the turnip that was the City.

In 2019, Higgins was 70 years old. Time for retirement? Did Wayne Higgins even wish to retire? The answers to that question may vary from person to person. A local university professor once made the comment online that people of a certain age should be content to simply spend time at home playing with their grandchildren.

Why should we care what this woman espouses? It's a remarkable opinion coming from the wife of the one who replaced Wayne Higgins. 

Next: How to get the job